Book of James

please the book of James chapter 1 I wish I could say I had a highly polished sermon for you likely still needs a bit of forging but do what we can James chapter 1 and we'll begin reading at verse 16 James chapter 1 and verse 16 James writes do not err my beloved brethren every good gift and every perfect gift is from above and cometh down from the father of lights with whom is no variableness neither shadow of turning of his own will begat he us with the word of truth that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures wherefore my beloved brethren let every man be swift to hear slow to speak slow to wrath for the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness or excess of wickedness and receive with meekness the engrafted word which is able to save your souls do not be sorry but be doers of the word and not hearers only deceiving your own selves for if any be a hearer of the word and not a doer he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass a mirror for he beholdeth himself and goeth his way straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was or what he saw but who so looketh into the perfect law of liberty and continueth therein he being not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work this man shall be blessed in his deed in his doing if any among you seem to be religious or thinks that he is religious and bridleth not his tongue but deceiveth his own heart this man's religion is vain empty useless pure religion and undefiled before God and the father is this to visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction and to keep himself unspotted from the world a lot could be said from this short book a lot could be said about the writer the author I'm just going to suggest to you that it was James the brother of the Lord Jesus as Paul refers in Galatians I know that there are at least four James's in the Bible we know that one of them died in Acts chapter 12 and likely he was not the one that wrote this but very likely the brother of the Lord Jesus and likely you know this was probably one of the first books written that we have of the New Testament and likely written about the year 40 I just like to think a bit about this man James before we get into what his message was because if you read through the book of the Acts you'll notice that the name James likely the same man is mentioned quite a few times remember how that the Apostles were gathered together in the upper room along with Mary the mother of the Lord Jesus and his brothers likely everyone would agree that even though they would have been unbelieving during the ministry of the Lord Jesus likely these men would have been saved after the resurrection of the Lord Jesus or even in his appearing to them I would just take that from 1st Corinthians chapter 15 the Lord actually appeared to his brother James possibly that was something that would have proved the reality of who he was to him so you'll notice that he is found in the book of the Acts he is the one that notice or word is given to when Peter is released from prison go and tell James and then afterwards you'll remember that when there was difficulty in chapter 15 of the Judaizers and a meeting was was made there in Jerusalem concerning these matters that Paul and Barnabas they go to speak to the Apostles and the elders in Jerusalem you remember that as these matters are taken up you'll specifically read that James would speak up and he would address the issue of the salvation of the Gentiles without circumcision and then of course later on you'll read that when Paul brings an offering from other parts to the believers in Judea it was actually received by James so James is a very prominent man I would take it in the church in Jerusalem Peter sorry Paul speaks in Galatians twice mentioning him he speaks of Cephas and of John and of James who seemed to be pillars in the church so just very simply I would take it that James was likely one of the elders of the church in Jerusalem and we read a likely what he is writing here is is after persecution has taken place in me in those first chapters chapter 8 9 of the book of Acts you just notice that it is written to those who are scattered abroad so in my mind there as we know in the book of Acts as much persecution that is brought against the first believers and and so many of them are scattered abroad I was thinking just in my own mind of how that the nation of Israel was once scattered abroad because of their disobedience and if this is a context of believers in the book of Acts they're being scattered abroad because of their faithfulness to God in the preaching of the Lord Jesus so in my own mind as I think of this if James was one of those responsible men in the book of the Acts and there are many of the believers that have gone out from Jerusalem because of persecution and difficulties I would just suggest to you that this is a show of his kindness in discernment in desire for their spiritual well-being as they have been scattered abroad in all of their difficulties so James's care for them as you read it is not addressed to any specific church but just simply to the scattered abroad believers I take it that had been saved in the the book of the Acts as we have read here in verse 18 a those that were a kind of first fruits of his creature and those that were saved on the day of Pentecost and those days forward the majority of them would have been Jews and now likely being dispersed for their faith as you progress through the book of the Acts so just very simply I'm not going to give you an overview or too much detail but just think of James if he is this overseer this elder this man that has a care for the people of God and he writes a letter for the circulation what are some of the things that he addresses what are the needs that he sees what are the things that that need to be taught well first of all we read that he touches on the trials in a Christian's life and we have already been heard hearing about that haven't we counted all joy when you come into many different kinds of of trials because trials are something that face all believers that was cruising along today at 60 or 65 following the GPS I saw a sign that says the pavement ends I didn't quite understand what that meant until I went off the edge into the potholes and the whole thing start to shake you know for believers life isn't always smooth sailing is it sometimes there is very rough going for believers there are roads that are unknown to us and we know the end of our journey and oftentimes it is between here and there that there are many trials that come and I even went by the gray the cemetery and there was someone that was being buried those are some of the trials in the believers life there are sickness and there are loss of jobs and income and and even death so many trials in the life of a believer even persecutions that come because of our faithfulness and James says don't count it loss don't count it sorrow he says count it all joy because God is actually adding something to you that you might not be lacking anything and as our brother was speaking I was I was just thinking how a James actually mentions Job there in chapter five he says take my brethren the prophets who have spoken in the name of the Lord for an example of suffering affliction and of patience behold we count them happy which endure you have heard of the patience of Job and have seen the end of the Lord I take it there's a lot more there and that the Lord is very pitiful that he is compassionate and caring and full of tender mercies the purpose of God in trials James says is that we might have greater confidence in God that we might have greater convictions of the faithfulness and the goodness of God so James speaks about trials in a Christian's life and then he speaks about temptations in a Christian's life he says be careful these things are not coming from God if there are temptations to sin that is not something that comes from God but every man is tempted when he is drawn away of his own lusts and enticed these are things that a careful overseer is going to address to the people of God because we are living in a world that is anti God in his pro-flesh and pro-lust that is a world that we live in and how much care needs to be had in a genuine overseer is going to warn of those things that could cause our downfall the temptations in the life of a Christian they do not come from God James is also going to speak about Christian testimony that's what I'm going to spend the majority of my time from but we could look into chapter 2 and there is Christian treatment how we treat one another what I appreciate as this is there ought to be no distinction among the people of God there's absolutely no place for racism among the people of God to look down at anyone for any reason here the contrast is made between rich and poor but you could expand that out that there is no disparity with God that God is a God who loves each and every one of us and we ought not to make any distinction we ought to despise no one so our treatment of one another how we treat one another ought not to be refined because someone is rich or poor or anything else so how we treat one another is something that needs to be taught to the people of God but really what I wanted to speak about a section the verses that we have read they really the last few verses 26 and 27 but just to give us a little bit of context I like to speak about Christian testimony but let's just go through a few of the things that we have here from verse 16 and James rise do not air my beloved brethren you notice that beloved brother and really proves to us that the care of this man's heart for fellow believers he calls them beloved brethren he says every good and every perfect gift is from above and cometh down from the Father of lights with whom is no variableness either shadow or turning temptation to sin does not come from God but God does allow trials in the life of a believer but that should not make us doubt anything of the character of God God is good and God will always be good and the purposes of God are always for his glory just to share the words of Spurgeon with you Spurgeon says ascribe ascribe all evil to yourself to the world or to Satan but ascribe all good unto God every grain of goodness every trace of excellence that there is in this world comes from him but no evil ever comes from God that is something to consider that we should never doubt the character of God God is not evil God is not desirous to see anyone suffer unjustly there are things that we know because of the effects of sin that affect this world creation itself has been affected by sins our bodies are affected by since our minds and hearts are affected by sin but that evil and suffering does not come from God that is a result of sin but God every good gift every perfect gift comes from God verse 18 it is because of his will his desire that he begat us with the word of truth or as Peter would would write that we have been born again not of corruptible but of incorruptible seed by the word of God that lives and abides forever that is what James is saying that God has begotten us again by the word of truth that you should be a kind of first fruits of his creatures maybe there is more to be said of this but just thinking if these are those first believers that God in his grace has reached and saved they're an evidence of a great harvest to happen and you'll recognize that as you go through the book of the Acts how so many were saved in Jerusalem and then the gospel goes to Samaria you read on another chapter and you read that there's their local churches in Galilee and then beyond into Asia and how the gospel would spread James says you're a kind of first fruits those that have heard the gospel been saved and blessed by the goodness of God wherefore my beloved brother and let every man be swift to hear and slow to speak slow to anger slow to wrath we're going to speak a little bit more about this in our tongues our Christian testimony but we have to have ears that are open to hear and appreciate in the context here the word of God we're going to come back to this verse 21 wherefore lay apart all filthiness that is that is a willful act to set aside to lay down the same word as they laid those robes at Saul of Tarsus feet James says lay apart all filthiness in all excess of wickedness and someone has adjusted this at oftentimes we don't imbibe the Word of God as we ought to because our minds are so filled with other things but James is saying we need to put the away those things we need to get rid of those sayings notice it the contrast here there is the laying apart and then he says receive with meekness the engrafted word that is receiving from someone else that is taking hold of that word that engrafted word which is able to save your souls we have been hearing this already in the conference an appreciation for the Word of God but James says we need to lay hold of it we need to take it we need to apply it to ourselves and that is where we get into the next verse did not simply be hearers of the Word but to be doers of the Word verse 22 be doers of the Word and not hearers only deceiving your own selves it is not enough just to acquire knowledge it is knowing and doing that James is emphasizing for if any be a hearer verse 23 of the Word and not a doer is like a man that looks in the mirror and he forgets what he saw he is he is seeing maybe a spot in his face but he has not cleansed it he is he is not taking action according to what he has seen he has not applied what he has seen to his own self and how sad it is that we could simply hear the Word of God and it has no effect on our lives that I speaking personally would read and know the Word of God and not practice what I have read not apply it to my own life that would be very foolish in verse 25 who says whoever looketh into the perfect law of Liberty maybe this is a word of God maybe this is a place that we have come into as Christians not under the law of condemnation the law of Liberty but continue it therein not being a forgetful here but a doer here it is a doer of the work I just underlined that we have in verse 22 you have a doer of the Word and then you have a doer of the work understanding that there is something that requires action it says this man shall be blessed in his doing not blessed in his knowledge blessed in his doing something that is so practical for you and I and really this is what I want to consider the last couple verses here if any man among you seem to be religious this word religious as far as I know is only found four times you read in Colossians of the worship of angels the worshipping of angels that's the same word really it has to do with service or worship of a higher being and Paul says in Acts 26 that after the most straightest sect of our religion I lived a Pharisee maybe we shun the word religion because we think of the religions of man and of the world but James is speaking of true religion of true service of God of true worship to God there it is if any man among you thinks to be that he is religious but does not bridle his tongue he is deceiving his own heart and it says this man's religion or worship or service to God is vain or it is empty the New King James Version says this if any man among you thinks he is religious and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his heart that one's religion is useless useless so Christian testimony the Word of God is going to have an effect on us when we appreciate it the Word of God is something that needs to be received as something that needs to be practiced the Word of God is going to be a what transforms our life so that we as Christians might give good testimony to the grace of God true religion James could have spoken about a lot of things what really is true worship of God what is true religion the Bible says is being careful with the things that we say verse 27 pure religion and undefiled before God the Father is this to visit the fatherless and the widows in their affliction is to be compassionate people in this world where there is so little compassion it is to see the needs of those that have needs and and be willing to help and alleviate as we can and to keep ourselves unspotted from the world but let's just take that up for a second the Christians trials Christians temptations the Christians testimony so much of our testimony has to do with our tongue and unbridled tongue a tongue that has not been kept in check it is interesting that so much is said in the Word of God about our tongue and James as we're going to notice here and chapter three speaks so much about it let's read then James chapter 3 and we can start with verse 1 I won't make much commentary James is just saying we ought to be very careful to want to take the place of teachers because we could receive greater condemnation and James says again my brethren be not many masters or teachers knowing that you shall receive the greater judgment or condemnation more responsible maybe greater condemnation for in many things we offend all if any man offend not in word the same as a perfect man and able to bridle the whole body behold we put bits in horses mouths that they may obey us and we turn about their whole body behold also the ships which though they be so great are driven of fierce winds yet they turned about with a very small helm whithersoever the governor listeth or desires even so the tongue is a little member and boasts that great things or or or causes great things to happen behold how great a matter a little fire can lift and the tongue is a fire a world of iniquity so is the tongue among our members that it defiles the whole body and set it on fire the course of nature it itself is set on fire of hell every kind of beasts of birds of serpents and things in the sea is tamed and hath been tamed of mankind but the tongue can no man tame it is an unruly evil full of deadly poison therefore bless we God even the Father therefore therewith sorry therewith bless we God even the Father therewith curse we men which are made after the similitude of God the likeness and image of God out of the same mouth proceed blessing and cursing my brother these things ought not to be doth a fountain sent forth at the same place sweet water and bitter can the fig tree my brother and bear olive trees either a vine figs so can no fountain both yield salt water and fresh who is a wise man and endued with knowledge among you let him show out of a good conversation his works with meekness and of wisdom our tongues are something that can be used for good and our tongues are something that can be used for great evil it's a small member that can do great things and maybe more could be said about this but it's only a small bit that it's put in the horse's mouth and you can move that great animal the same with the great sheet the ship in the sea it is turned about with the small helm great things are done with our tongues both great evil and great good but much as is spoken about our tongues in the Word of God and James takes so much time to speak about this he says really it is something that we ought to try to tame it is something that we ought to be conscious and careful with the things that we say because so much harm or damage can be done Ephesians chapter 4 says wherefore putting away lying speak every man truth with his neighbor for we are members one of another I hope that there is no one here that finds it easy to tell a lie to say something that is not true the Word of God speaks so much about that at the end of the chapter 4 Ephesians says let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and evil speaking be put away from you with all malice be kind to one another tender hearted forgiving one another even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you the psalmist says Psalm 34 keep thy tongue from evil and I lips from speaking guile it makes us think of the Lord Jesus doesn't it the Bible tells us that he had done no violence neither was there any deceit in his mouth what a wonderful example as one who everything that he spoke was true and truthful for you and I as believers I hope the things that we are saying are are true that we are not speaking lies and we're not speaking evil again first Peter chapter 2 says we're for laying aside all malice all guile and hypocrisy and beings and all evil speaking and then you drop down the chapter it says verse 21 for even here unto are you called because Christ also suffered for us leaving us an example that you should follow his steps and what is the example who did no sin neither was any guile found in his mouth when he was reviled he reviled not again when he suffered he threatened not but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously would it not be far better to use our tongues to communicate the gospel communicate blessing to one another to give a word of encouragement to those that need it a word of correction maybe to those that need it there's something from the Word of God Ephesians chapter 5 says speaking to yourselves in Psalms and hymns and spiritual song singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord our tongue is something that is so small and yet at the same time is so powerful a little spark could ignite a huge forest fire our tongues can be used for evil our tongues could be used for good and likely we are going to be known by the things that we say that is what the Lord Jesus said out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh so what is in here is soon going to be here and is going to be broadcast to all those that surround us and they're going to understand whether that man's religion is as true as genuine or it's useless here is a man that claims to be the Son of God and yet he tells lies when the Son of God never told a lie here is one that claims to preach the truth and yet he doesn't always say the truth what really a disgrace before the Son of God who always said what was true and pure use our tongues to encourage and to to share the gospel and teach the Word of God I just close with the words of another man he said we're quick to avoid murder stealing and drunkenness but we often assassinate fellow believers and leave destruction in our wake by the way we use our tongues husbands have stabbed their wives with words that are as sharp as daggers wives have lashed out with their tongues that cut and pierce parents have devastated their children by repeated blasts of venom children have exploded at their parents with volleys that have leveled the family like a bomb and churches have been wiped out by wagging tongues that have sliced dice and chopped people to shreds isn't that what James was speaking about just to close I'll read it to you again it says if any man among you seems or thinks to be religious and bridle if not his tongue he deceived he deceiveth his own heart this man's religion is vain it is useless maybe even doing harm instead of good but pure and undefiled pure religion and and undefiled before God the father is this to visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction and to keep himself unspotted from the world might God help us